Scientists have discovered a new health benefit from the world's most consumed drink
Tea leaves would act as a filter removing potentially harmful heavy metals like lead from water, according to a new study.
Researchers from the United States tested different varieties of tea - green, black, oolong, white, chamomile, and rooibos - under typical brewing conditions with water containing known amounts of lead and other metals (chromium, copper, zinc, and cadmium).
Exposure to lead can lead to chronic health problems, with high doses causing brain and kidney damage in the most severe cases.
After brewing at 85 degrees Celsius, they evaluated how much of the metals were absorbed at different time intervals.
Preparing a typical cup of tea could lead to a 15 per cent removal of lead from drinking water, according to the findings published in the journal ACS Food Science & Technology.
'[Tea leaves] have a high active surface area, which is a useful property for an adsorbent material and what makes tea leaves good at releasing flavour chemicals rapidly into your water,' Benjamin Shindel, who was a PhD student at Northwestern University in the US and the study's first author, said in a statement.
He also highlighted the practicality of the process with tea being the most consumed beverage in the world with 6.5 million tonnes being consumed in 2022.
'With tea, people don't need to do anything extra. Just put the leaves in your water and steep them, and they naturally remove metals,' he added.
The transformation of tea leaves enhances their ability to bind with certain substances with black tea being slightly more effective than other varieties.
Grinding the leaves also seems to amplify the effect, by enlarging the overall surface area that can capture metal.
Infusion time and bags are also factors
A longer brewing time was associated with a higher lead reduction, according to the results.
'Any tea that steeps for longer or has higher surface area will effectively remediate more heavy metals,' Shindel said.
'Brewing tea for longer periods or even overnight - like iced tea - will recover most of the metal or maybe even close to all of the metal in the water,' he added.
Researchers also observed that the presence of a tea bag was a contributing factor in the process.
Cellulose bags, made from wood pulp, were the most effective in trapping metal ions.
'The cotton and nylon bags remove practically no heavy metals from water,' Shindel said.
'Nylon tea bags are already problematic because they release microplastics, but the majority of tea bags used today are made from natural materials, such as cellulose. These may release micro-particles of cellulose, but that's just fiber which our body can handle'.
These filtration properties can be added to the list of benefits associated with tea consumption, such as enhanced cardiovascular health and a protective effect against neurodegenerative diseases.
'Across a population, if people drink an extra cup of tea per day, maybe over time we'd see declines in illnesses that are closely correlated with exposure to heavy metals,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
Humanoid robots embodiment of China's AI ambitions
The annual event is primed at showcasing China's progress in the ever-evolving field of artificial intelligence, with the government aiming to position the country as a world leader on both technology and regulation as it snaps at the United States' heels. Opening the event on Saturday, Premier Li Qiang announced China would set up a new organisation for cooperation on AI governance, warning the benefits of development must be balanced with the risks. But in the cavernous expo next door, the mood was more giddy than concerned. "Demand is currently very strong, whether in terms of data, scenarios, model training, or artificial construction. The overall atmosphere in all these areas is very lively," said Yang Yifan, R&D director at Transwarp, a Shanghai-based AI platform provider. This year's WAIC is the first since a breakthrough moment for Chinese AI this January when startup DeepSeek unveiled an AI model that performed as well as top US systems for an apparent fraction of the cost. Organisers said the forum involved more than 800 companies, showcasing over 3,000 products -- the undeniable crowd pleasers being the humanoid robots and their raft of slightly surreal party tricks. At one booth, a robot played drums, half a beat out of time, to Queen's "We Will Rock You" while a man in safety goggles and a security vest hyped up a giggling crowd. Other droids, some dressed in working overalls or baseball caps, manned assembly lines, played curling with human opponents or sloppily served soft drinks from a dispenser. While most of the machines on display were still a little jerky, the increasing sophistication year-on-year was clear to see. The Chinese government has poured support into robotics, an area in which some experts think China might already have the upper hand over the United States. At Hangzhou-based Unitree's stall, its G1 android -- around 130 centimetres (four feet) tall, with a two-hour battery life -- kicked, pivoted and punched, keeping its balance with relative fluidity as it shadowboxed around a ring. Ahead of the conference's opening, Unitree announced it would launch a full-size humanoid, the R1, for under $6,000. 'Digital humans' Most high-tech helpers don't need hardware though. At the expo, AI companions -- in the form of middle-aged businessmen, scantily clad women and ancient warriors -- waved at people from screens, asking how their day was, while other stalls ran demos allowing visitors to create their own digital avatars. Tech giant Baidu on Saturday announced a new generation of technology for its "digital humans" -- AI agents modelled on real people, which it says are "capable of thinking, making decisions, and collaborating". The company recently ran a six-hour e-commerce broadcast hosted by the "digital human" of a well-known streamer and another avatar. The two agents beat the human streamer's debut sales in some categories, Baidu said. Over ten thousand businesses are using the technology already, the department's head Wu Chenxia told AFP. Asked about the impact on jobs -- one of the major concerns raised around widespread AI adoption -- Wu insisted that AI was a tool that should be used to improve quality and save time and effort, which still required human input. For now, few visitors to the WAIC expo seemed worried about the potential ramifications of the back-flipping dog robots they were excitedly watching. "When it comes to China's AI development, we have a comparatively good foundation of data and also a wealth of application scenarios," said Transwarp's Yang.
Euronews
19-07-2025
- Euronews
When is it too hot to work?
From Italy's farms to Germany's warehouses and beyond, soaring summer temperatures pose serious health risks to workers across Europe. Heat stress can cause heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and death, even hours or days later. The strain the body puts on itself trying to keep cool can also cause kidney problems and worsen heart disease, respiratory issues, and mental health. These risks came to the fore during brutal heatwaves earlier this summer, when a 51-year-old street cleaner in Barcelona collapsed and died hours after finishing her shift. Spanish authorities are investigating whether the heatwave caused her death. Unlike other environmental health hazards such as air pollution, there are no uniform rules on heat exposure for workers in the European Union, leaving member countries to make their own laws. But when is it actually too hot to work – and what can workers do to protect their health during heatwaves? Understand the risks High temperatures are not the only health risk during heatwaves. The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) is considered a better signal of heat stress for physically active workers because it takes into account heat, humidity, wind, and sunlight. The WBGT includes four threat levels: low, elevated, moderate, high, and extreme. Depending on the region, temperatures above 29 to 32 degrees Celsius are considered extreme threats to workers' wellbeing, raising the risk of heat illness significantly. Extreme heat is more dangerous for people working outside in physically demanding jobs, for example construction workers, agriculture workers, and emergency services. But indoor employees – including those who work in offices – can also face risks, particularly if they are in poorly cooled or ventilated buildings, according to EU-OSHA. Globally, extreme heat kills nearly 19,000 workers per year, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the EU has seen a 42 per cent increase in heat-related workplace deaths since 2000. Pay attention and take action Many people may not realise they are at risk of heat stress, particularly if they are young and otherwise fit, warned Alessandro Marinaccio, research director of the occupational and environmental epidemiology unit at the nonprofit National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL) in Italy. 'There is a lack of awareness about the risk for the health of workers due to occupational exposure to extreme temperature,' Marinaccio told Euronews Health. His team developed a tool to map daily risk levels for workers in Italy, depending on how physically strenuous their job is and whether they work in the sun or the shade. Health experts say workers should also pay attention to their physical symptoms. 'Workers should be mindful of elements such as dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea, muscle cramps, fainting, and confusion,' said Ignacio Doreste, a senior advisor at the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), which represents labour groups. If you are feeling symptoms of heat stress, stop working, drink water, remove unnecessary clothing, and sit down in a cool, shaded area. If you cannot cool down within 30 minutes, seek emergency medical care. Know your rights Several EU countries have rules to protect workers from heat stress, including Germany, Slovenia, Hungary, Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, France, and Italy. In France, for example, employers must make fresh drinking water available to workers and adapt their workplaces and working hours to protect them from extreme heat. In parts of Italy, the government banned outdoor working during the hottest hours of the day during the last major heatwave in July. Generally, countries with heat-related laws set work limits of around 29 to 30 degrees Celsius for high-intensity work, 30 to 31 degrees for moderate work, and 31.5 to 32.5 degrees for light work, according to the ILO. The EU also mandates that employers protect workers' health and safety from occupational risks overall, though there is no specific legislation on heat stress. Across the EU, 'whenever a worker is facing a threat to his own physical integrity, they have the right not to work,' Doreste told Euronews Health. But 'enforcement is extremely needed,' he added, especially because 'diseases related to occupational heat are commonly underreported'. The ETUC has called for new laws to protect EU-based workers during heatwaves, including the right to medical examinations and the right to skip work without consequences if an employee believes working in extreme heat will put them at risk. If you are unsure about your rights during a heatwave, check your work contract or consult with your company representatives or trade union.
Sustainability Times
09-07-2025
- Sustainability Times
'This Miracle Device Will Save Millions': MIT Scientists Unleash High-Flow Solar Desalinator Flooding Communities With Gallons of Pure Freshwater Every Hour
IN A NUTSHELL 🌞 MIT and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have innovated a solar desalination system to produce affordable potable water. and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have innovated a solar desalination system to produce affordable potable water. 🔄 The system utilizes a multistage process mimicking thermohaline circulation for efficient evaporation and condensation. for efficient evaporation and condensation. 💧 Prototypes can produce 1 to 1.5 gallons of drinkable water per hour, offering a cost-effective solution compared to tap water. 🌍 This innovation has the potential to address global water scarcity by providing sustainable, renewable water sources. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has once again pushed the boundaries of technological innovation with a groundbreaking new development in solar desalination. This revolutionary system, designed in collaboration with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, promises to make potable water more affordable by harnessing the power of the sun. By utilizing a unique multistage evaporation and condensation process, this system could potentially produce freshwater at a lower cost than traditional tap water. As the world grapples with increasing water scarcity, this innovation offers a beacon of hope for sustainable water solutions. The Science Behind Solar Desalination The newly developed solar desalination system employs a series of evaporators and condensers organized in multiple stages. This setup mimics the natural process of thermohaline circulation found in oceans, where water movement is driven by differences in water density due to temperature and salinity variations. In this system, the solar heat is used to create conditions for water to circulate in swirling patterns. As the water evaporates, the salt is left behind, and the resulting water vapor is condensed into pure, drinkable water. Each component of the device is meticulously designed to enhance efficiency. The system is divided into two parts: the upper section, where seawater is heated and evaporated, and the lower section, where condensation takes place. By employing a dark, heat-absorbing material, the system maximizes the absorption of solar energy, thus optimizing the desalination process. The use of thermohaline convection not only prevents salt accumulation but also ensures a continuous flow of desalinated water, making the system exceptionally resilient and sustainable. Revolutionary Solar Tech Unveiled: Ultra-Efficient Panels with Breakthrough Nanolayers Set to Transform Energy at Lightning Speed Prototype Performance and Potential The MIT research team constructed prototypes with varying stages of complexity—single, triple, and ten-stage models. These prototypes were tested using natural seawater and water with salinity levels up to seven times higher. The results were impressive: a device scaled to the size of a small suitcase could produce between 1 and 1.5 gallons of potable water per hour. With such efficiency, the system holds the potential to provide drinking water at a cost lower than that of tap water. One of the standout features of this system is its longevity. The prototypes demonstrated extreme resistance to salt buildup, successfully conducting continuous desalination over 180 hours with highly concentrated seawater. This durability indicates that the system components could last several years before needing replacement, making it a viable long-term solution for water-scarce regions. As such, the solar desalination system represents a significant step forward in sustainable water production. '56,000 Homes Become a Power Plant': California Firm Creates Largest Virtual Energy Source in US With Revolutionary Grid-Sharing Tech Global Implications and Applications Water scarcity is a pressing issue affecting numerous countries worldwide, including both developed and developing nations. The introduction of this solar desalination technology could have profound implications for regions struggling with limited access to clean water. The ability to produce affordable potable water using solar energy aligns perfectly with global sustainability goals and offers a versatile solution adaptable to various climates and environments. Moreover, the technology's scalability allows it to be deployed in different settings, from small rural communities to larger urban areas. As solar technology continues to advance and become more cost-effective, integrating such systems into existing water infrastructure could revolutionize water accessibility. With the added benefit of reducing reliance on traditional water sources, this innovation could play a pivotal role in addressing water scarcity challenges across the globe. 'This Defies Everything We Knew': Sun-Powered Sponge Turns Saltwater Into Freshwater Without Using a Single Watt of Electricity Future Prospects and Research Directions While the current results are promising, further research and development are essential to optimize and commercialize the solar desalination system. Future studies could focus on enhancing the system's efficiency, reducing costs, and exploring integration with other renewable energy sources. Additionally, expanding testing to different environmental conditions and larger scales could provide valuable insights into the system's adaptability and performance. The collaborative effort between institutions like MIT and Shanghai Jiao Tong University exemplifies the power of international cooperation in tackling global challenges. As research continues, the potential for this technology to transform water accessibility and sustainability remains vast. The journey towards widespread implementation is just beginning, and the impact of this innovation could be far-reaching. As the world faces increasing environmental challenges, innovations like MIT's solar desalination system offer a glimpse of hope for a sustainable future. By harnessing the power of renewable energy, we can address critical issues such as water scarcity and resource management. What other groundbreaking solutions might emerge from ongoing research and collaboration to combat global water crises? This article is based on verified sources and supported by editorial technologies. Did you like it? 4.6/5 (25)
